Days passed I think before I became aware of the whispers around the temple. They were not cruel or malicious, Pelleas made sure of that. My girls were simply worried about me.

As I stood before my mirror for the first time in weeks, I could see why. I was thin, too thin. My eyes seemed sunken and my cheeks were hollow. I looked like death.

The thought made me chuckle.

Pelleas rarely left my side once he brought me back home. But, he never pushed me to ...